U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/050,793 discloses a transition adapter which is secured onto a flat power cable by being crimped thereto, and the adapter includes one or more contact sections to be engaged with corresponding contacts of an electrical connector to transmit power from the cable to the connector. The cable is of the type entering commercial use for transmitting electrical power of for example 75 amperes nominal, and includes a flat conductor one inch wide and about 0.020 inches thick with an extruded insulated coating of about 0.004 to 0.008 inches thick over each surface with the cable having a total thickness averaging about 0.034 inches. The metal of the flat conductor is for example of Copper Alloy 110 and the insulation is for example TEFZEL thermoplastic resin known as polyethylene-co-tetrafluoro-ethylene copolymer (trademark of the E. I. DuPont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del.).
The transition adapter of Ser. No. 07/050,793 includes a pair of plate sections hinged together at the forward or terminal end of the adapter, and a still-insulated end or edge portion of the cable is to be crimped therebetween. At a selected location forwardly of the cable-crimping region at least one of the plate sections is bent at an angle away from the other so that the plate sections are facing each other at an angle and are thus spaced apart to receive the cable end or edge therebetween. A plurality of lances extend from one plate section toward corresponding apertures in the other so that upon pressing the plate sections together the lances penetrate through the cable. The lances are then received through the apertures and the ends thereof are bent over and against the outer surface of the other plate section, being bent over by tool means or by being curled around by integral arcuate guides at each aperture. By penetrating the cable a plurality of electrical connections are formed between the adapter and sheared conductor edges of the cable. By being stamped from sheet metal of an appropriate alloy, the lances are preferably defined by shear edges and penetrate through the insulation and also the conductor of the cable in cooperation with the lance-receiving apertures which preferably include at least one shear edge against which the cable is pressed during penetration by the lances. Additional electrical connections are made by a plurality of barbs which penetrate the cable insulation to engage and bite into the cable conductor.
It is desirable to provide an adapter having means for shearing through a flat power cable conductor at a plurality of locations to provide a plurality of electrical connections between the adapter and the cable conductor wherein the connections are and remain gas-tight by reason of stored energy.
It is also desirable to provide each gas-tight connection with substantial surface area of engagement between the adapter and the cable's conductor.
It is further desirable to provide elongated gas-tight connections to provide greater interconnecting metal surface area.
It is yet further desirable to provide mechanical and electrical connective joints between an adapter and a flat cable which remain strong and viable and do not weaken over long-term in-service use.
It is still further desirable to provide an adapter of a metal alloy compatible with transmission of electrical power and which retains its stamped and formed shape and its shear edges to penetrate the cable, and also to provide an adapter of a metal alloy capable of assuming a shape upon termination to the cable which maximizes surface area engagement with the sheared edges of the cable conductor while retaining stored energy to maintain the gas-tight nature of the connections during long-term in-service use.